Chris tidied up the table, the candles had burned out and it was in the early hours. Chris didn't pursue Paige, he knew he wouldn't be welcome and she needed some private time to take everything in.

After all, he foretold every person she loved dying if she and him alone didn't stop it, it was a big ask and needed hard consideration.

Chris just blamed himself. If he hadn't fell in love and been with Paige, he wouldn't have had to tell her, he could rely on number one only and hopefully get things done. Now their relationship which was pretty new was already under threat and if Paige was emotional and they broke up, it could jeopardise everything. Not to mention shatter his world.

That was the annoying thing, he relied on Paige for trust and support, if she failed him by leaving him, he didn't know if he could even rely on himself and carry on without her now.

He had never been so dependent when he was with her, though he was careful not to show her so. That was the funny thing about love he realised. It seemed to creep up on you when you're not expecting it, slowly, gradually and the wham! Your in a relationship and everything speeds up.

He was in over his head but he didn't want it to end. He loved Paige and needed her, he just hoped she understood that he wasn't one to usually pour his heart out all the time. He had been through too much to wear his emotions on his sleeve even if it was with the woman he loved. Perhaps that would change over time, but that was one thing they didn't have.

There was a bang on the front door, Chris jerked his head around in surprise and ran to open it in case it continued and woke the whole house.

"Phoebe?"

Phoebe was still fumbling with her keys before slowly realising there was no longer a door that needed opening.

"Oh hi."

She squinted hard at his face.

" - Chris."

Chris moved to let her stumble through. She reeked of booze and he knew she was drunk. He thought he better escort her quietly upstairs and relieve her of any further embarrassment. He marvelled how she made it home on her own.

"I got a taxi."

She whispered merrily as if reading his mind.

She spun around and gave him a heavy hug.

"I've never felt so free, so alive, so happy, so carefree so…"

She was spinning around and around with her hands up.

"So sick!"

A look of surprise and horror crossed her face and she darted into the kitchen before throwing up loudly in the sink.

Chris followed her and held her damp hair out the way of her face while she continued to splutter and cough unattractively.

He knew Phoebe was upset about something but he never thought she'd turn to the bottle. Considering it obviously wasn't a magic related problem he couldn't think what would make her this distressed. Not that he really knew her that well but he knew the charmed ones didn't take a lot of shit, but at the moment none of them could seem to dig themselves out of it.

She turned around and rested her head on his chest.

"Perhaps I didn't really think things through."

"Perhaps not."

He put his arms around her to stop her from falling over or sliding to the floor in a heap.

"It's just I was about to come home and a few of the girls returned to ask me out to celebrate me telling this girl - it doesn't matter but the point is, we ended up at a bar and we got a little bit carried away."

She slurred and hurried her words that made them fairly incoherent, but her head was close enough to his for him to make them out.

"I just needed to find myself again."

She whispered slowly and began to cry into his shirt.

'Hey, hey come on Phebes."

He patted her back awkwardly, he hadn't been used to this and especially with Phoebe.

"How about you go upstairs and sleep it off."

Sleep was often a quick fix solution, especially for sobbing drunks, although the hangover was sure to be ugly.

Phoebe looked up at him with watery eyes.

"I cant! I have work!"

"Well cant you take the rest of the week off? I know you said you would go with Paige to the picnic so you may as well take the next few days off as well."

Phoebe shook her head.

"I don't want to, I don't want to be home."

"Why not? I've never heard of a charmed one actually wanting to go to go to their day jobs!"

"Because work is distracting and I can forget shit."

She giggled at her new use of swearing. Chris was surprised she swore, she hadn't before, but she hadn't been drunk around him before either. He knew she didn't get wasted often but he could understand why she did. Trying to chase away worries or at least supress them was easier with a few drinks inside you.

"What -"

He paused before putting on emphasis:

"Shit?"

"Boyfriend shit, or rather lack of boyfriend shit and lack of lovin' shit and -"

He put his hand over her moving mouth.

"I get the overall shit picture."

Paige laughed hollowly but he knew she was close to tears again, anyone could see it, anyone could see she was close to collapsing too.

"Look, go to bed, and I promise to wake you at the right time tomorrow."

"I've set my alarm so that doesn't matter. It's funny how such trivial things can make the difference huh? Like getting a call or not getting a call? Or even the big things like being cheated on or not being cheated on! They make the difference don't you think?"

She was prodded his chest with her finger several times.

"I guess they do."

He agreed although he had no idea whether they made the different or not. However he did now know this was definitely not demon related - this was Jason related.

She began rambling even more incoherently and he didn't know if she was mumbling to him or to herself. He held her petite frame and orbed her up into her bedroom. He was glad he didn't have the pleasure of trying to carry her up the stairs.

He switched on the lamp and she was already sleeping heavily in his arms. He manoeuvred her awkwardly under the covers of her bed.

He turned off the light and was about to leave when Phoebe stirred:

"Paige is lucky to have you Chris."

She then began to snore lightly. Chris wasn't really surprised, even if she wasn't an empath, she probably would have figured it out, he closed the door. Things were beginning to unravel but he trusted she would have the sense not to go telling anyone.

"I take it the workaholic has been laid to rest?"

Paige was standing outside her bedroom in her pyjamas, her eyes were red and puffy and there were tear stains down her cheeks. Chris didn't want to look at her, he felt so many different emotions at once; love, pity, frustration, guilt, anger, regret. All from looking at her face.

"Yeah she's sleeping and will probably be a workaholic alcoholic if you don't talk to her in the morning."

"What?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow, I better go."

Paige grabbed his arm. He turned around slowly, finally meeting her gaze.

"Go where?"

"Go home."

The last thing he needed was twenty questions about where he went when he wasn't with her.

"Well you better come in here then."

She pointed to her room.

"Because I am your home now and you are mine."

She gave him a hug. He knew she was trying hard to sound positive and stay strong, he knew this was the last thing she needed but it couldn't be avoided.

"You are always welcome here no matter what."

He breathed in her scent and felt the pressure and tension flow out of him when he embraced her.

"I know I was upset earlier, but I don't want to fight and blame you. You did what you had to, and I have come to realise that even if I lose you to the future, I at least would have had you to lose in the first place. I am putting myself in the hands of fate, because I believe fate will be kind to one of us three for once."

Paige changed then, maybe it was love but she seemed to rise above the mess of her life and became a true fighter, she wouldn't let bad things happen if she could stop them, and she would, or she would die trying.

"Thank you."

Chris whispered it, because he had no physical or emotional energy left tonight. Fighting with Paige felt like he had been beaten up because he was tired in every way possible.

Those two words might not have meant much to Paige but he tried to make them sound as sincere and grateful as possible, he would have shouted it and screamed it to her a hundred times to show her what she had just done effected him profoundly and just her being her had meant so much to him. He was even willing to wear his emotions on his sleeve for her, but it was 2 am and he had at least some time to show her everyday what she truly meant to him.

She held his hand and led him to the bedroom, He got undressed into only his boxers and got in with her.

He hugged her. Words weren't enough that night, nothing else could be said that described the love, awe and strength they had for each other now. The fear for at least that night was forgotten

Paige was the first to stir at 10 o clock. She left Chris snoring away and looked in on both her sisters, each were deep in sleep.

She was surprised to see Phoebe though, she thought she would be at work, but after the hint Chris gave her last night she didn't really know what to expect. At least it would know be possible to properly ask her about the picnic on Friday that was fast approaching that she was beginning to dread. She would have to call Ben back today and she wanted to have something useful to say, if Phoebe came it would make going easier.

She jumped lightly on to her bed and kissed Chris's cheek.

He moaned grumpily.

"Just ten more minutes."

She rested her head next to his ear and whispered quickly.

"But Piper's coming up the stairs as we speak and she's going to see you!"

Chris's eyes opened in fright and he jerked upright before quickly orbing out.

There was silence. He orbed back in so he was leaning against the wall.

Paige held the pillow to her mouth to stop herself from screaming with laughter.

"You think your so funny using my fear of your big sister against me huh?"

Chris was trying to look angry and he was slightly but he couldn't help forgiving her and smiling about it.

She nodded closing her eyes and rolling over so she was laughing into the covers of the bed.

She turned slightly and pointed at them trying to catch her breath to speak.

"Your face!"

She turned back to put her head in the sheets.

Chris launched at her and began to tickle her. She shrieked and wriggled under his grasp. She orbed out from under him.

"Chicken!"

He shouted to the room.

She orbed in to where Chris had been leaning only a few minutes before.

"What?"

She put her hands up innocently.

He went to pursue tickling her. She dodged him a few times before being caught and thrown on to the bed.

"No!"

She put her hands to her mouth as Chris began to tickled her feet and sides.

"I'll tell Piper!"

Chris didn't stop although he chuckled at her comment. Then he began to kiss her instead and Paige was still giggling as pushed up her pjama top and kissed her stomach, then he moved up and planted them on her neck before giving her a big sloppy one of the lips.

She wiped her mouth.

"Ewww!"

He smiled at having some effect on her other then laughter.

"That's so sixth grade!"

He rolled over to lie next to her and both looked at the ceiling. He held her hand.

"You haven't changed your mind about anything since last night have you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just mean that no matter what happens between you and your sisters you can't tell them anything about what we have to do."

"Chris you can trust me okay? I wont say anything."

"I know, I just wanted to make sure you are still good."

"I'm not good about any of it but I can deal with it if that's what you mean."

Chris just nodded.

Things were going to be hard but just getting her sisters back on track could be just as hard and getting through the everyday trials of life were tough enough. After all both sisters were like they were through love and no matter how bad it was, it was something that couldn't be solved by a potion or spell.

The charmed ones battle all sorts of evil but they couldn't face their own demons. It wasn't exactly going to be smooth sailing, but then again Chris wondered when it ever was.

I hope the storyline is okay! I didn't know whether it would work or not so any feedback is much appreciated.